Consortium Spotlight: Ann Hagan-Grigsby

Meet Ann Hagan-Grigsby, Community Partner

• Hometown: Washington, D.C. (born in Penola, Virginia)
• Education: Master’s in Business Administration, University of Phoenix; B.S. in Biology, George Washington University
• Years at Park DuValle:  1992-current
• Interests and Hobbies (outside of work): Beach trips, family gatherings/outings, dinner and a movie, jazz concerts, travel, performances by my nieces’ gospel singing group, writing poetry, reading, motivational speaking, leadership workshops; used to write and produce Christian Sunday school plays when was a member of the AME Church
• What book or movie do you think everyone doing social justice work should read/watch?To Kill a Mockingbird, Things Fall Apart, Black like Me. Tuskegee Airmen, The Help, Hidden Figures
• What motivates you to do this work? Coming from a family where we learned to survive regardless of what the realities seemed to look like and where we learned that your time on earth is not about acquiring wealth, but about enriching lives, shaped my path. My adopted mother died at age 64 from Hepatitis.  She was rubbing apple cider vinegar with sewing needles dissolved in the liquid on her arthritic hands which were not only painful, but also deformed which limited her ability to use her hands.  She did not have health insurance and did not have money at that time to see a doctor. She was told this home remedy would help. She died because of it.  No family or individual in a country as rich as this should have to choose between health care and housing, food, clothing or basic needs. Health care is a right, not a privilege and this country will never prosper at the level that it potentially could until it rights its wrongs against people of color, immigrants, the poor and disenfranchised.

Learn more about Ann here.